


According to Fate

by wendylesbiaburger



Series: The Big Gay Harry Potter Soulmate AU [9]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, btw pls read the linny, draco low key pining, marcus and oliver try to offer advice, someone help harry, this took way too long wow, you saw me hint in the linny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-11
Updated: 2018-02-11
Packaged: 2019-03-16 18:36:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13642134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wendylesbiaburger/pseuds/wendylesbiaburger
Summary: It took Harry time to grasp the concept of soulmates, not until he saw the name on his own skin. But he almost believed it less when he saw it was the name of Draco Malfoy.





	According to Fate

**Author's Note:**

> So, uh, I alluded to doing a Drarry Soulmate in the Linny before this. Then I got stuck on this, then I did Nanowrimo, then I wrote my 65k Flintwood. But it's here finally! This is kind of messy since it was written of the course of five months on and off.

Harry wouldn’t have guessed he’d become an Auror so soon. He’d thought it might take a bit of time but after the war he felt almost thrust into it. N.E.W.Ts didn’t seem to matter if you literally saved the wizarding world from Voldemort. 

Ron seemed to have a little trouble adjusting too. The war had barely ended but they were already in a field where he spent almost every day dulling criminals. But Harry figured it was too late to change career options, he made his decision to be an Auror at fifteen and he should be happy he was really doing it. 

He lived in a small cottage alone, happy to be away from the Dursley’s. How he’d survived their rampant abuse for so long was a mystery to him. It was a little lonely at times, as it could feel isolating living on his own. Not even Hedwig was around to give him company. 

What filled most of his thoughts however was the certain problem on his leg that he put as much effort as he could to ignore. He had to ignore it, there were no other options. 

Ron and Hermione had moved in together, and he envied how easily the two had adjusted to the soulmates thing. How they just clicked into it so easily ever since Hermione’s name was on Ron’s skin, in her perfect penmanship on his seventeenth birthday. Because they were best friends before either of them got the mark. The ideal, no, the desired result. He didn’t believe the stresses it caused like some of his friends told him, like Dean and Seamus. Of course they were soulmates, nothing else made sense. What would they have to worry about? 

Ron and Hermione were the situation where they liked each other but Harry wasn’t sure if they were soulmates. He had confidence in it but not certainty. When they told him, holding hands as they did, he wasn’t even a little surprised. 

Ginny and Luna fit just as well. A piece of him had hoped Ginny was his soulmate but he’d held little hope. He’d liked Ginny and they worked well together. But they didn’t fit, especially like she did with Luna. He wasn’t sure if he was mad but he got over it quite quick. Besides, he didn’t want to pull Ginny in the mess of who his soulmate was.

His soulmate. He still wanted to scratch the name off of his leg. At the time he got it his soulmate was the least of his concerns but when the war ended he could scream in dread all he wanted. Scream at the universe and his shit sense of humour. Of giving him the worst soulmate they could. The last person he could’ve predicted. He didn’t even like admitting to himself who his soulmate was, it felt like a sick joke. 

…

Where was the broom polish? Did the shop keeper move it or something? 

Harry grumbled in annoyance under his breath as he tried to find it, scanning the shelves. His broom was in much more use these days as an Auror, using it to chase convicts rather than search for a snitch. That definitely put it through a lot of work over time. 

“You okay there, Harry?” 

He jumped slightly and was met by the sight of Oliver Wood. 

He’d aged since he’d left Hogwarts, grown out of the boyish good looks into a sharper jaw and more facial hair. Not a beard but he could probably grow one if he wanted. He wasn’t burly, more muscular, his adult body being able to build up the muscle in a more masculine way. 

“Oh, hey Wood,” he said, turning to him. “Haven’t seen you since the war and all.” Not that they had a proper chance to talk. The battle wasn’t the best place to reminisce on how hard he was on the team or for him to ask about his life on Puddlemere’s team. 

“Yeah, been time,” he said, smiling at him. “Good to see you.”

He nodded. “You too. Figures we’d run into each other in a Quidditch supply shop.” 

Thankfully, Wood laughed. “Yeah, makes sense,” he said. “I was just here to pick up a new broom, mines gotten too old.”

“I’ve been trying to find broom polish.”

“Oh, they’ve been moved, I’ll show you where.”

Of course Wood would know that. 

As they walked, Harry noticed Wood’s soulmate mark on his forearm, clearly making no attempts to conceal it. Not even subconsciously keeping his arm at a certain angle so other’s couldn’t see. He even reached for the broom polish with his left hand, making the mark of Flint’s name in his chicken scratch clear as day. 

Harry found out who Wood’s soulmate was in his second year, a few months after Wood did he could only guess. He hadn’t expected it to be the Slytherin team captain, the bloke he’d likened to a troll with teeth as crooked as his plays. But what had surprised him even more was that Wood seemed to brighten up around him when it got out they were soulmates (save for when they were up against each other on the pitch but maybe their competitiveness was partially why the fates thought they belonged together). 

He wouldn’t have expected that. Nor would he have expected a Slytherin and a Gryffindor would be anything other than rivals. He remembered the rest of the teams’ playful teases that just rolled off of Wood’s back. 

Mostly he remembered how happy Wood was with someone he’d supposably hated. Only a few months before that Wood was fuming at Flint for taking their practice time.

“So, how’s life been? Wood asked, handing him the polish. 

“Er, alright. I’m an Auror.”

He nodded. “Nice, I just got moved up to starting Keeper for Puddlemere.”

“Congratulations,” he said. “My friend just got onto the Harpies Reserves.” Friend seemed like the best word for Ginny now. They were better off that way. When he saw that name on his skin he didn’t want her to be part of that mess if she hadn’t known her soulmate yet. And now she had Luna, an easy soulmate. One where you could just go to the person and say in delight that they were truely destined. 

He grinned. “Good for her! Great team. Marcus is on Montrose but they’re not as good as Puddlemere.” He finished the remark with a smile. His eyes sparkled a little, clearly happy to mention him. He never understood up people could get so happy by simply saying their soulmate’s name. 

“That’s cool,” Harry said. “Isn’t it weird to play against each other though?”

He shook his head. “Nah, we’ve always been competitive so it’s more normal to compete. It’d honestly be weird to play with each other,” he laughed. “Although the press knows we’re soulmates and are sure we’ll go easy on one another, they’re gonna be in for a shock.”

Harry laughed, remembering the fierce competition that existed between them in the Quidditch final in is third year. “I’ll bet.” Then he paused before continuing. “Can I ask you something?”

He shrugged. “Sure.”

He chewed his lip. “How’d you two, like, take to being soulmates?”

He furrowed his brows. “What do you mean?”

“You two just clearly didn’t like each other. Also, isn’t he older than you? He would’ve known before you did and all.”

Wood paused for a moment, like he needed to think about it. “It was a surprise, of course it was. And yeah, we didn’t like each other but we also barely knew each other. Getting to know each other was a nice lead into, you know, falling for each other.”

“But weren’t you mad he kept it from you?” He couldn’t imagine having that kind of a relationship with someone and for them to go months without telling you that you two were intertwined by the fates. He’d be furious, and he wouldn’t be able to live with it. 

But Wood just shrugged at him. “Admittedly, I was mad. But also understood? I don’t know, this was years ago. I don’t remember why I disliked him outside of the whole, Slytherin-Gryffindor rivalry bollocks.”

He huffed, this wasn’t helpful. “How’d you approach it then?”

He frowned. “Harry, if this is about your soulmate you might need to figure it out yourself.”

But he couldn’t, he had no clue what to do. “I don’t know if I can. I didn’t think it’d be him.” He swallowed the frustrated lump in his throat, ready to pull his hair out. “I wish he wasn’t,” he whispered, hopefully quietly enough for Wood to not hear him.

But he did, of course. “I thought that at first with Marcus. Now I wouldn’t trade him for anything.” He squeezed his shoulder. “Talk to him, it’ll be worth it. It’s what Mar and I did, and everything worked out for us.” 

Wood walked passed him, probably to get his broom. Harry thought about his suggestion for a moment. 

No, he wasn’t going to fucking talk to him. He didn’t have to. He’d never fall for him. 

He’d never fall for Draco fucking Malfoy.

…

Harry constantly wished he’d gotten an easy soulmate. Someone he could fall for in a snap and already could fall in together. 

Like Dean and Seamus, or Katie and Alicia. Just two people who were already close and could change to romance so easily. Not someone he’d spent years hating. He didn’t understand how Wood could go from seething at the sight of Flint to going all bright eyed. 

He and Malfoy could never be like that. Wood and Flint had a schoolyard rivalry, not his and Malfoy’s relationship. 

He scratched his leg, as if doing so would get Malfoy’s name off of his skin. He had to leave the Auror’s office anyway, Malfoy should be gone by now. 

The ministry had calmed down as the end of the day came. It was calming, after what seemed like never ending chaos. 

He entered the lift, a witch already in there. He gave her a friendly nod and watched the doors begin to clothes. 

“Hold the lift!” a voice called. Harry did and before he realised completely, Malfoy entered the lift. 

Malfoy stiffened, looking at him for a moment. Dread washed over Harry and he almost ran for it but the doors closed before he could. 

They’d never brought it up. They just didn’t. Not necessarily because it hadn’t come up but neither of them had brought it up. He didn’t know if Malfoy knew his hand writing but he doubted there was anyone else named Draco. 

The witch between them stepped out when the lift stopped, leaving them alone when the doors closed. 

Malfoy shuffled next to him, pulling at his sleeve like he was trying to conceal his wrist. Harry pictured his name marked there, his neat print. It was his right arm so he knew he wasn’t trying to hide his dark mark. 

He sometimes forgot that was on his arm forever.

Ever since the war ended, things had more or less been weird between them. He’d heard Malfoy was trying to step away from all his family had done. But he hadn’t seen him since May. 

Since the war ended.

He coughed next to him. “Long day?”

He swallowed, keeping his eyes straight ahead. “Yep.”

They fell into a silence, an awkward as hell one. 

Maybe he should just talk to him about it. He could feel the spot with his name tingling. Were marks meant to do that or was he overly aware of it? He still wished he could tear the name from his skin. 

Why couldn’t he get someone easy? Why didn’t he get lucky? Why did he have to get the most impossible person he possibly could?

It felt like years had passed when the doors opened and he bolted right out. He didn’t look back at him, he couldn’t bring himself to. 

What the hell were they supposed to do? Talking about it just didn’t seem possible. He couldn’t be with Malfoy. He just couldn’t. 

…

Even though Ginny wasn’t playing, they all still went to go watch the Harpies play in their first game for the season. They were playing against Puddlemere so it’d be the first time Harry watch Wood play professionally. He was going to route for the Harpies obviously, but he was interested to see how much Wood had improved over the years. 

Really, the plan was just to enjoy himself. He smiled at Luna’s enthusiasm, and stayed mostly with Ron and Hermione even if they were being a little too couple-y for his liking; he could bear with it. 

But across the field by the pitch, he saw him. 

Malfoy. 

He was talking adamantly with a man much taller and bigger than him. When he saw the large crooked teeth and the troll like features he realised it was Flint. Flint being here wasn’t a surprise, he expected it. Of course he’d be there to support Wood. But what the hell was Malfoy doing with him?

He didn’t realise he was staring until Malfoy’s eyes locked with his. And his entire body went tense as Malfoy quickly looked away. 

Flint definitely noticed and when he looked in his direction, he looked away, walking to catch up to the rest. Why the hell did he stare at him? He knew better than to do that. 

He had trouble paying attention to the game. He was brought back into reality each time Luna would cheer as the Harpies scored. He’d glanced at the goals a few times, a saw the familiar gritted teeth of Wood. That should’ve brought him back to fond memories of playing Quidditch at Hogwarts but instead it pulled on his stomach thinking of playing Seeker against Malfoy. 

His leg felt like it was burning under the mark. He ignored it and tried so hard to pay attention to the game. But he couldn’t stop thinking about the bastard. 

When the game ended, the Harpies winning, Ginny ran to join them, already changed out of her Quidditch robes. 

“Merlin, the reserves are the worst,” she said, slinging her arm around Luna’s shoulders. “I want to actually play.”

Harry smiled at her. “I hope you guys didn’t bruise Wood’s ego too much. It was his first game as the starting Keeper.”

She grinned. “I’m sure he’s fine.” 

He laughed and as they walked to leave he kept an eye out for Wood, maybe say hi to him. He’d probably would’ve met up with Flint by now and Flint was easy to spot in a crowd with how big he was. 

And he did spot him but he and Flint seemed to be in some deep conversation. Flint was babbling something. Wood’s head was cocked to the side as he listened, a frown on his lips as he listened. He figured it wasn’t the best time to talk to him. He’d probably see him another time.

…

Paperwork, so much paperwork. It almost did Harry’s head in. 

He put his quill down and stretched his arms over his head. He deserved a break at this point. 

He stepped out of his office and walked through the corridors. He just realised how hungry he was. 

As he walked down the corridors he saw a flash of curly dark hair. Flint.

He’d never actually spoken to Flint. He’d seen him around Hogwarts plenty of times, especially when he and Wood started dating. And during the war he caught a few glimpses of him, mostly sticking with Wood. He’d heard his mother was a muggle-born so he mostly wasn’t surprised to see him fighting too. 

“Oh, there you are,” came Flint’s voice, stopping him in his tracks.

He whipped his head around and frowned at him. “You were looking for me?”

“I’ll be blunt: you and Malfoy? Sort your shit out.”

His body froze. How did he know? Surely Wood didn’t guess Malfoy was his soulmate. He shuffled on his feet. “What do you mean?”

Flint actually rolled his eyes at that. “Malfoy told me you were soulmates, at Oliver’s game with the Harpies.”

He frowned. “I don’t get how this is any of your business?” 

He shrugged. “Just offering some advice. Considering me and Oliver’s relationship before he got his mark.”

“Yeah, he kind of told me how it was.”

“Yeah, I know and I said I’d knock some sense into you.”

He clenched his jaw. “Thanks but no thanks.” He went to walk but Flint didn’t seem to give up. 

“I avoided Oliver for months. At least he didn’t know. Just grow a backbone and talk about it.”

He kept walking, stomping his feet on the ground. Flint knew nothing. A childish rivalry wasn’t the same as what was between him and Malfoy, not even a little. 

…

The day dragged along, more paperwork was done, and the end of the day felt like a blessing. 

He was just about to leave but the door opened. He looked up and felt his body stiffen.

Malfoy.

The door closed behind him and they stared at each other. Malfoy’s jaw was clenched as he stared him. Harry bit the inside of his cheek and looked at his lap.

“So, Flint stormed into my office and yelled at me,” Malfoy said. 

“Really? He caught me in the corridor.”

Malfoy smiled a bit. “Still as much as a hard ass as he was at Hogwarts.”

He smiled a little too. “Don’t know how Wood puts up with him. Must be the soulmate thing.” 

He regretted his last sentence when he saw Malfoy stiffen. He should’ve avoided the soulmate part. 

“Yeah, uh, probably,” he cleared his throat. “Uh, but – us. That whole thing with us.”

He swallowed. “The soulmate thing?”

Saying it out loud felt like a stab in the gut. No more running, actually saying what has happened between them. 

“Yeah, that.”

They fell silent, just staring at each other. Harry wanted to blurt how they could just ignore the mark and marry other people, that wasn’t uncommon. Hell, Malfoy’s parents probably weren’t soulmates. Favouring blood over the fates. 

When Malfoy didn’t say anything Harry stood up. “Just forget about it,” he said. “We don’t actually need to be together. Who cares if some greater being thought we’d be good together. We wouldn’t be.”

He made to leave but that step forward seemed to unfreeze Malfoy. “No, hold on,” he said meekly. He stopped in his tracks and frowned. 

“I don’t want to ignore it.”

Harry stared at him and he saw Malfoy biting his lip and eyes big with worry. “What do you mean?”

“Look, I get it, we hated each other as kids. And then everything with the war. But, Merlin, my feelings have always been a mess for you,” Malfoy sighed and rubbed his eyes. “And I know you hate me still, and you have every right to. But maybe this means something.”

Maybe it did mean something, hell it really did. There was a reason Malfoy’s name was on his leg. 

But there was also a reason he wanted to scratch it off. He could see the bloody Dark Mark peaking from under his sleeve. 

Malfoy caught him, pulling his sleeve down hastily. “Oh fucking forget it,” he muttered and this time, left his office leaving Harry alone. 

Now he had no idea how to feel. 

…

Weeks turned into months, and Harry tried to just act like everything was okay. But every time he saw Malfoy across the corridor or talking to co-workers. He always looked away but he’d caught Malfoy staring more than once. 

But he didn’t owe him anything. A mark on his skin didn’t mean anything. He didn’t have to be with him. He didn’t even have to acknowledge him. He had every right to hate him as much as he did. 

But every time he looked at the mark on his skin he had second thoughts. He almost wanted to actually talk to him and figure it out. 

Maybe he needed to just tell someone. Wood and Flint knew but he didn’t know Flint at all and he hadn’t had a real conversation with Wood since he was thirteen. With the exception of the one in the Quidditch shop. 

But Wood wasn’t the best option either. He’d just encourage him to talk to Malfoy about it, Wood was deliriously happy with Flint (somehow). He needed someone to vent to that’d listen. Maybe not someone who had a similar situation. Just someone to vent to. 

He thought maybe Ron and Hermione but since it was Malfoy, maybe not them. They’d just tell him to forget about it, especially Ron. They’d be as shocked from the information as him. 

Since it was Christmas, Harry was spending it with the Weasley’s. It was a tradition at this point, at least Mrs Weasley would always insist he came. 

He’d noticed that Luna wasn’t at Ginny’s side for once. She was probably spending it with her father. 

Maybe he could talk to her. She wouldn’t really get it, she got her best friend and he got a guy he hated for years. It was the far less than ideal situation he wanted to be in. He would’ve rather gotten a stranger, that would be far less stressful than Draco’s annoying cursive. 

He needed to blurt it to someone though, because it had been heavy on his for so long. He hated how it felt and he could only avoid it for so long. 

He sat with Ginny as she ate some of the gingerbread Mrs Weasley had made. They were fresh from the oven and they smelt amazing. Ron and Hermione were in the lounge room, as well as were Percy, and Mr and Mrs Weasley. Charlie, Bill, and George were outside playing quidditch. That would be a chance to try and talk to her.

“They nice?” he asked. 

She nodded, chewing on one. “Delicious,” she said. 

He smiled at her. “You seeing Luna today?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she said, wiping crumbs from her lips. “Tonight, she and her dad are hunting for this type of pixies that only appear at Christmas.” Most who might make a statement like that with an eye roll, or with a certain mocking tone. But her own tone was full on endearment. She seemed to be so in love with her. He wouldn’t have guessed that they were soulmates but at the same time they made sense together. 

That was more so why he didn’t understand why his was Malfoy. They were so different, and they were both heavily avoiding it. How could they be soulmates?

“Hey, uh can I tell you something?” he asked, chewing his lip.

She gave him a curious look and turned more towards him. “Alright,” she said raising a brow. “What?”

“My soulmate, it’s uh,” he swallowed the lump in his throat as he saw the look of interest in Ginny’s eyes. “My soulmate’s Malfoy.”

She stared at him, as if she didn’t believe him. She set the biscuit she was eating down and frowned at him. “Seriously?” she asked.

He nodded. “Yeah,” he said a tapped the spot where the tattoo sat. 

“That’s, well, surprising,” she said. “Have you two like, said anything about it?”

He shook his head. “No, I’m not even sure I want to be with him.” 

She bit her lip. “Well, obviously you don’t have to be together. But there’s all those stories of how, people who ignore it end up being drawn together anyway. Then if they marry someone else, a lot end up committing adultery with their soulmate. Muggles can’t see their marks, and some people think that’s why a lot of divorce happens between them.” 

He knew, of course he knew. Being detailed about soulmates at a young age seemed as strange as magic itself. But it was difficult to not believe when he saw the marks on other people. He initially tried to tell himself they were simply tattoos, put on the skin by people hopelessly in love, but when Wood showed the team his mark when met with disbelief, he realised the truth to it. Then when his own got on his skin, there was no longer denying it. 

It was the moment that it felt real he had someone out there for him, that fate had decided he belonged with one person. But he didn’t understand what fate had in mind, why Malfoy? How Malfoy? He still didn’t understand. 

“Well then, what should I do?” he asked.

“Talk to him,” Ginny said, as if it were obvious. And it was obvious, to actually talk it out and to figure out what they were going to do. Not dancing around it and pretending it wasn’t their truth. 

The last time they talked was in his office, when Malfoy did try to talk to him. When he refused to talk to him, because he held the Death Eater thing against him. Even though he knew it was his greatest regret, even though he did it for his family’s safety, even though he knew he backed out last minute. 

He stood up silently, and muttered, “I think I need to go home, I’ll see you soon.”

He quickly took out his wand and Disapparated home before Ginny could stop him.

…

He knew where Malfoy’s office was, and he walked to it the first chance he got. He didn’t feel self conscious feeling of when people glanced at him as he started towards his office. 

He didn’t even bother to knock, he walked right in. 

Malfoy was sat at his desk, a pile of paperwork next to him. He jumped at the sound of the door closing, and looked up at him. He turned pale, at least more pale than he already was. 

He shuffled on his feet. “Hi,” he said.

He blinked at him. “Uh, hi?”

He wanted to step forward but it felt like his feet were glued to the floor. He wanted to stall, to go into formalities to ask how he was, if he had a good Christmas. He knew it wouldn’t be fair for Malfoy either.

“I’m sorry,” he said and decided to be forward instead of cutting off there. “I’m so sorry for how I’ve acted about us being soulmates.”

He stared at him in disbelief, likely shocked he was even bringing this up. Harry stood there, waiting for him to answer him, nerves pulling on his stomach. 

When the silence dragged out for too long, he spoke again, “I can’t say definitively that I’m going to fall in love with you, I really can’t. But, I guess if we’re going by what some magical mark on our skin says, maybe I can?”

Malfoy seemed to have snapped out of his shock. He stood up, and stared at him behind his desk. 

“You mean that?” he asked. “You aren’t going to run off again?”

He bit his lip. “Honestly, I wish I could promise you that. I can’t say for sure I won’t get scared and end things. What I can say is this will be a lot of work on both of our parts. But you know all those horror stories of people ending up miserable because they tried to run from this.”

He seemed a little thrown off by his honesty, and for a second he thought that he was too honest. But he didn’t want to lie, running was over and he wasn’t going to offer false promises. 

Malfoy took a deep breath. “Are you going to try?”

“I want to.”

And then Malfoy laughed, a deep, throaty laugh. “Who would have ever guessed I got the Boy Who Lived?” He said it like it was the most hilarious joke he’d ever heard. That made him laugh too. 

He stepped closer to the desk which ceased his laughter. He stood in front of the desk, so that was the only thing between them. 

He realised how thin his lips were in that second, and how easy it would be to bring them in his lips. How he could cup his face so easily in his hands. He’d never noticed that before. 

His grey eyes stared at him, and they were warm. That was so different than the cool colour of them. 

“So, you’re in this too?” he asked. “You want to be together?”

Malfoy bit his lip. “Yes,” he said with a curt not. 

“And you’re prepared for everything that comes with being with me?” 

He nodded. “As long as you’re prepared for what comes with me too. You’re not going to run no matter how bad it gets?”

He knew that it getting out his soulmate was the son of a former Death Eater would be all over ever newspaper. It would last for months and months, and it’ll be entirely negative takes. He knew that would come with the territory. 

“I hope I don’t,” he said as honestly as he could. 

He nodded. “Okay, I think that’s enough for me.”

He nodded and for a moment they stared at each other. Harry bit his lip and decided to ask him what had been buzzing on his mind since he came into his office. “Can I uh, can I try kissing you?

He blinked at him, probably caught off guard. He nodded though. He cupped his face in his hands and over the desk, pressed his lips to his. 

The kiss felt like their souls were wrapping around each other, as if it’s what his own had been waiting for since he was born. 

Draco’s boney hands covered his own. They were cold but that didn’t bother him. It was Draco, and Draco was all his mind could focus on. He didn’t care about what the press would say, or what his friends would say. He didn’t care about impending scandals, or all the articles that would come out. He didn’t care that someone could easily walk in and see them in this embrace. He cared about kissing Draco.

Draco Lucius Malfoy, his soulmate for whatever reason but his goddamn soulmate nonetheless.


End file.
